Heart of Stone, Soul of Magic
by blue artemis
Summary: Written for the Hogwarts Houses fest. Hogwarts sees more than anyone believes.


_It __hurts__. __The __damage __done __to __my __walls __pales __in __the __face __of __what __my __children __have __done __to __each __other__. _

_What __children__, __you __ask__? __How __does __a __pile __of __stone __and __mortar __figure __itself __to __have __children__? __How __dare __you __question __me__, __you __silly __boy__. __You__'__ve __always __thought __yourself __above __things__, __but __now__, __now __you __need __to __listen__._

_It __is __quite __easy__, __you __see__. __Britannia __has __always __had __magic __running __along __the __surface __of __it__. __The __four__, __my __parents__, __they __found __a __place __brimming __with __magic__, __at __the __crux __of __four __different __ley __lines__; __here __is __where __I __was __born__. __Not __only __a __pile __of __stone __and __mortar__, __but __with __a __jeweled __heart __and __eyes __and __ears __borne __of __magic__. _

_The __wards __they __placed __used __not __only __the __magic __of __the __ground__, __but __let __me __taste __and __feel __the __magic __of __all __who __entered__. __Some __was __beautifully __light __and __some __was __devilishly __dark__, __yet __all __left __their __mark__. _

_When __the __elves __arrived__, __they __knew __instinctively __that __I __would __protect __them__, __and __in __turn__, __they __would __ad__d or __use __their __magic __to __bolster __mine__. __It __is __no __accident __that __they __can __Apparate __within __my __walls__... __they __are __truly __part __of __me__. _

_How __do __I __identify __my __children__? __Each __is __different__. __Some __are __just __more __attuned __to __me __than __others__. __It __is __usually __the __most __needy __who __feel __me __the __best__. __But __some __of __them __could __only __feel __how __they __could __use __me __to __bolster __themselves__, __while __others__, __many __of __whom __are __here __today __to __attempt __to __help __me __heal__, __saw __me __as __I __truly __am__, __a __sanctuary__, __a __mother__, __a __home__. _

_The __ones __who __called __themselves __pure __generally __ignored __me__, __too __used __to __magical __homes __to __contemplate __a __place __that __would __help __or __hinder __them__. __I __know __most __of __them __believe __the __way __I __move __the __staircases __to __be __random__. __It __isn__'__t__. __It __only __gets __dangerous __when __one __of __the __heads __gets __involved__. __I __cannot __stop __them __from __adding __their __own __magic __to __mine__, __and __we __are __often __at __cross__-__purposes__. __Yes__, __you __are __not __only __included__, __you __are __one __of __the __main __culprits__. __You __truly __believed __yourself __to __be __doing __things __to __better __life __for __everyone__, __or __I __would __have __excluded __you__, __just __as __I __did __the __toad __woman__. _

_Wait__, __please__, __I __hear __a __couple __of __my __children __talking__... __Yes__, __yes__, __exactly__! __Please __do __that__, __it __will __make __my __healing __far __easier__._

The portrait of Albus Dumbledore cleared his throat, as though his painted needs were more than those of the castle he hung in.

_Stop __grumbling__. __You __caused __quite __a __bit __of __damage__. __It __is __about __time __your __rather __imposing __wards __came __down__. __You __hindered __my __magic__, __you __silly __boy__. __  
_

Portrait Albus flushed. He knew exactly what the castle meant. Unfortunately, if she was excited about them being broken, then Harry, Severus, and Tom must all be nearby.

_Yes__, __t__hey __are __all __here __now__, __my __three __magical __boys__. __One __may __be __a __ghost__, __the __other __is __ill __and __the __youngest __is __damaged__, __but __they __will __help __me __heal __the __best__. __If __only__... __Ah__. __There __she __is__.__  
_

"Harry, we need to get Headmaster Snape to the heart of the castle. If we find the jewel it should work to have him change the wards so we can really heal her."

"OK, Luna. Let's do it. How can we get there?"

"We need to ask the castle, or maybe the elves."

At Luna's request, an ancient elf popped into existence in front of her and Harry. "Follow mes, please."

Harry and Luna took up the cot that held the Headmaster's comatose body and followed the little elf.

As they were walking, they realized the castle was lighting their way. Suddenly, they found themselves in a spacious chamber that held a sparkling crystal the size of Harry's head. They placed the Headmaster directly under the jewel, somehow knowing what they should do.

"Hmph. I don't know why you are honoring that horrible traitor."

The rest all looked at the young handsome ghost of the self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort.

"Oh, shut it, Tom. Just because you couldn't get everyone to do what you wanted all the bloody time doesn't make you right."

"Certainly, Harry. Because Albus Dumbledore was a saint, such a nice man, using you as bait the way he did."

"Turns out he was a horrid man, true. But if it were up to you, I'd have been dead years ago."

"Will you two boys stop bickering? Really, the castle seems to love you both and the Headmaster far more than anyone else, and all you like to do is argue. Now, help the Headmaster drop Dumbledore's wards."

The dark haired young man looked at the ghost of his nemesis and shrugged. Walking and drifting they approached the man under the jewel. Reaching out, they seemed to get caught up in the magic of the moment, and the three, all who had considered the castle far more of a home than almost any other student who walked through her halls, seemingly willed the wards to drop.

The moment Albus's oppressive wards dropped, the castle began to hum with energy. Harry and Luna picked up the cot and returned to the Great Hall, their grins telling those waiting that they had succeeded. The magic flowed out at a rapid pace, helping the people and elves who were attempting to repair the castle things started to happen at a rapid pace. Headmaster Snape even woke up, surprising all the Healers who had come to see him at Harry's behest.

_Ha__! __I __can__'__t __believe __you __thought __they __wouldn__'__t __manage__, __you __meddling __old __man__. __I__'__m __keeping __you __here__, __you __know__. __You __won__'__t __be __able __to __access __the __headmaster__'__s __office __any __longer__. __Why__? __Consider __it __your __punishment __for __meddling __where __you __shouldn__'__t __have__. __If __you __are __nice__, __maybe __I __will __allow __the __ghosts __to __visit __you.__  
_

"Headmaster Snape, may I ask you another question?"

"Yes, Ms. Lovegood."

"Why is Headmaster Dumbledore's portrait covered like that?"

"When we repaired the castle and I returned to the office, it was like that. No human magic has been able to part the curtains."

"Guess the castle decided he needed a time out," interjected Harry, making the others in the office laugh.

Had they been closer to the wall, they might have heard muffled cursing coming from behind the curtain.

_They __are __such __good __children__. __Even __with __all __of __their __differences __they __came __together __to __help __me __heal__. _

_Oh__, __hush__, __Albus__, __you __will __be __set __free __when __you __learn __your __lesson__. __They __succeeded __in __spite __of __you__, __not __because __of __you__. _

_Don__'__t __shake __your __head __at __me__, __young __man__. __I __may __have __a __heart __of __stone__, __but __I __do __have __a __soul __of __magic__. _


End file.
